By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja
A fresh controversy has erupted over the recently passed State Police Bill after Prince Nweze Onu, Deputy National Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), warned that the proposed security reform could be turned into a dangerous political weapon by state governments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Prince Onu in a strong worded statement on .Thursday, acknowledged that establishment of state police has long been proposed as a potential solution to Nigeria’s growing security problems — but warned that the bill is being advanced in conditions likely to erode public trust in the nation’s democratic institutions.
The NNPP chieftain criticized the bill’s hurried approval, arguing that reforms with such wide-ranging consequences demand extensive national consultation and thorough public scrutiny before being enacted.
He argued that key matters—accountability, operational independence, funding arrangements, constitutional protections, and oversight mechanisms—had not been given sufficient national debate before the bill became law.
